The Real Sunset Strip

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 5/17-5/23

Posted on by Kristen

Last week was a very emotional week of beginnings and endings…and many goodbyes. On the music front, one of my favorite bands, Jealousy Curve, officially announced that they were going to end their run as a band. Their last show will be their record release next Saturday in Philadelphia at World Cafe Live. (yes I will be there). Carney’s record release show Saturday in Los Angeles at The El Rey signified the exact opposite; the beginning of a successful and (hopefully) very long career. Watching the guys be escorted from the back to the signing table where we all had to wait in line to get our CDs signed and say our hellos really made me realize how far the band has come since I saw them play every week at Molly Malone’s. The entire set was a bit emotional for me. I was at once immensely grateful for having such an amazing band be a part of my life for the last couple of years and incredibly sad that they were leaving Los Angeles and I would not be seeing them play again anytime soon.

But such is life. Really it just gives me more time and energy to discover amazing new bands to enrich and fulfill my life, right? Well, that’s what I’m telling myself anyway.

Here are the bands and musicians I’m looking at this week to potentially take up the mantel of “new favorite band” and help fill the massive void  in both my concert calendar and my heart left by the breaking up of Jealousy Curve and year-long departure of Carney:

Monday: Filthy Souls at 14 Below in Santa Monica (8pm)
ALSO: The Like FREE at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Wartapes at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund Benefit at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)…line up TBA
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: Nina Storey at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)

Weds: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room (10:45)
ALSO: Beachwood Rockers’ Society at Crane’s 

Thursday: Shout Out Louds at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Glee Live at Gibson Amphitheater (8pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi at The Hotel Cafe (8pm) 

Friday: Glee Live at Gibson Amphitheater (8pm)
ALSO: The National at The Wiltern (8pm)
ALSO: OK GO at The Musicbox (8pm)
ALSO: Far at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Lelia Broussard at Room 5 (7pm)
ALSO: Shout Out Louds at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Vienna Teng & Alex Wong and Sara Watkins at McCabe’s (8pm) 

Saturday: The National at The Wiltern (8pm)
ALSO: Glee Live at Gibson Amphitheater (8pm)
ALSO: The Real Sunset Strip On the Rox with Terra Incognita (9pm)
***if you happen to be in the Philadelphia area, you’d better join me at World Cafe Live to witness the last performance of Jealousy Curve…also playing IKE, Camille Peruto, and LA’s own The Shakers! 

Sunday: Frightened Rabbit at The Musicbox (8pm)
ALSO: Lelia Broussard at Saint Rocke (7pm) 

To Keep in Mind:
May 28th: The Silent Comedy and Dirty Sweet at North Park Theater (in SD)
June1st: First Aid Kit at Bootleg
June 3rd: Mumford & Sons at The Music Box
June 6th: Mumford & Sons with The Silent Comedy at BellyUp (in SD)
June 10-13th: BONNAROO
June 25th: Warped Tour in LA
July 10th: Lilith Fair

~ Kristen

A Saturday Night On The Rox

Posted on by Kristen

Tim Graves (The Silent Comedy)

For those of you present for The Silent Comedy at On The Rox Saturday night, you know how amazing the evening turned out to be. For the unfortunate few who were unable to attend, you must know that I can now officially check off my life’s to do list “sing on stage with a band.”  At the time I thought, “hey, why not.” It seemed like I knew about half the people in the bar anyway. I’d forgotten the teensy fact that the event was being broadcast over the internet. 

Anyway, I absolutely love what Scheff and The Hawk are doing with The Real Sunset Strip. You can watch the events (including what went down last Saturday night) on their website.  On the Rox is certainly becoming the place to be…especially since they’ve remodeled the venue. Gone are the awkward booths and teeny tiny stage that I was never able to really see. The whole atmosphere is infinitely more comfortable and welcoming with plush couches and a larger stage area. The walls are adorned with photos from The Festival in the Desert and it was noted that the pictures of camels seemed kind of out of place, but I felt them fitting. The Festival in the Desert is an opportunity to discover amazing music in the middle of a desolate wasteland…and having to work to get to it. While On The Rox, is far from a musical wasteland in the heart of the Sunset Strip, it is still somewhat a diamond in the rough, probably not noticed or fully appreciated until visited. This is especially true if they continue to book fantastic bands like The Silent Comedy and last week’s Get Back Loretta. 

Next Saturday is a band called Fight From Above. I’ve never heard of them, but it will probably be a show worth going to! And if you want to go, it’s FREE. But to ensure your admittance, RSVP to the facebook event page.

What a perfect way to spend your Saturday!

~ Kristen

p.s. A couple pics from The Silent Comedy set. It must be noted that although the stage has been enlarged, it is still not quite big enough for the 6-membered band who spilled over onto the dance floor…and a dance floor it was!